Wood-distilling plant.



PATENTBD MAR. 28, 1905. G. M. PALMER. WOOD DISTILLING PLANT.

APPLIOKATION FILED AUG. 20, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. 2s, 1905. n c. M. PALMER. woon DISTILLING PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

9:7 Jim/Wega PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

C. MLPALMER. WOOD DISTILLING PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

UNITED STATES Patented March 28, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

'WOOD-DISTILLING PLANT.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,144, dated March 28, 1905.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Beit known that I, CHARLES MARSHALL PAL- MER, of New London, in the county of Stanly and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood-Distilling Plants; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to the mechanical appointments of a distilling plant, and is designed to provide means whereby the wood to be distilled may be expeditiously introduced into and withdrawn from the retort and whereby the distillation of the wood through the agency of steam may be rendered rapid and thorough.

In general the method of distilling the wood is not different from those already well knownin the art. WVood in the form of blocks is placed in a retort and steam under pressure is introduced thereinto, the products passing' over in the form of vapor and being condensed in a worm or other suitable appliance.

In the present drawings, Figure l is aside elevation of the apparatus, showing cars on the track outside the retort. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of the retort containing' a number of cars. Eig. 3 is a plan View of the apparatus. Eig. A is an enlarged side elevation of one of the cars.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a car, showing' one of its sides lowered to permit the discharge of the contents of the car. Eig. 6 is a detail enlarged transverse vertical section of the car within the retort. Eig. 7 is a plan, and Fig. 7 a side elevation, of the track in detail, showing the rail-joints at the door of the retort. Fig. 8 is a plan, and Eig. 8 a side elevation in detail, showing the rail-joints at the waste-dump. Fig. 9 is an end View of the retort, partly broken to show the steam connections.

The plant shown in the drawings comprises three main parts, the retort A, a number of cars B, in which the wood to be distilled is conveyed to the interior of the retort, and the track upon which these cars are mounted and travel.

rI`he retort A consists of a cylindrical struc- Application filed August 20,1904. Serial No. 221,456.

ture formed, preferably, after the manner of a boiler, having one end closed by a fianged head A, the other end being equipped with a hinged door D, adapted to effect asteam-tight closure with the boiler. A suitable pipe a is connected to the retort to conduct the vapors formed therein to the condenser. It is preferred to place in said pipe a blow-off valve I), whereby the fiow of the vapors may be regulated at will and whereby the steam-pressure within the retort may be controlled. The retort may also be supplied with a steamgage c to indicate the steam-pressure. Longitudinally disposed in and extending throughout the inner length of said retort at its central and lowermost portion is a single-rail track d, upon which the wood-conveying cars run and are supported when in the retort. Along the inner sides of the retort and slightly above the said rails Z are two auxiliary rails e, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The cars B are approximately semicylindrical in shape, being of such diameter as to be readily received in the cylindrical retort and being of suclrlcngth that a number of them placed end to end may be contained in said retort. The body of each car is formed, preferably, with end-piece spiders f, bearing flanges f', extending into the interior of the car to afford means of attachment for the longitudinal spaced slats t, which constitute the lateral framework of the car. The spaces between said slats j are occupied by reticulated sheet metal or wire-nettingf2. To afford a convenient means for dumping, one side, B', of the car is formed separate from the body and mounted upon hinges b', situated near the lowest portion of said body and in alinement lengthwise thereof. Said hinged side or gate of the car can be lowered on its hinges, as in Fig. 5, to permit the free discharge of the contents of the car. The hinges b' are positioned suiiiciently above the lowest portion of the car-body to avoid interference with the car-wheels presently to be described. Suitable latches B2 are provided, whereby the gate B is secured when closed. Under the lowest and central portion of the carbody, in alinement lengthwise thereof, are the car-wheels t', attached in any convenient IDO manner, as by having their hubs journaled in bifurcated brackets, which are fastened to the bottom of the car. Preferably these wheels have their peripheries grooved or double-flanged in order to insure their proper relation to the rail upon which they roll. Two series of auxiliary car-wheels j are secured upon opposite sides of the car-body parallel to the series of lower wheels e'. As shown, one series of these wheels is secured to that part of the car-body B2 which constitutes its gate. The track upon which the above-described cars are designed to ride outside of the retort consists of three rails, two of themthe auxiliary rails lianking the third rail Z and being in a horizontal plane somewhat above the said rail 'J. The two elevated auxiliary rails engage the auxiliary wheels 2' and maintain the car in its proper position above the main central rail Z, upon which travel the wheels The relative positions of these rails and exactly correspond to the relative positions of the rails Z and e within the retort, so that when the door of the retort is open the end of each outside rail may be caused to abut upon the end of the appropriate rail in the retort. It is necessary to provide some means whereby the outside rails may be removed sufficiently to permit the closing of the retort-door D. To this end a section l and of each outside trackrail immediately adjacent to the retort is pivoted, as shown in Fig. 7, to move in a vertical plane, (see Fig. 1,)so that when the cars have entered the retort the rails may be rotated upward out of the way, thereby permitting the door to be closed. Then in lowered position the end of each outside rail-section Z 7: seats upon the same surface as the inside rail (Z e. From the mouth of the retort the track leads to thedurnp at which the depleted material from the retort is unloaded from the cars. At this point it is necessary to provide means whereby a section of one of the auxiliary tracks may be removed to permit the gate of the car to swing downward and open to discharge the load. A length of the rail somewhat greater than the length of the car is rendered readily removable in a manner similar to that employed in the case of the track end adjacent to the retort, except that the track-section in the present instance should rotate downward, and hence would preferably seat at its free end in a vertical scarf-and-butt joint and be retained therein by a removable through-pin fr?. (See Fig. 8.) Aturn-table J may be introduced ata convenient point in the track, as above described,to afford communication with a branch track leading' to the source of the supply of the material to be treated in the retort.

There are preferably employed in the operation of this improved distilling plant twice as many cars as can be accommodated at one time within the retort, so that w-hile half of them are in the retort the others may be unloaded and refilled with a fresh supply of material. Thus the plant may continue actively productive for an unlimited time with no in terruption except such as is demanded by the introduction and withdrawal of cars to and from the retort.

The novel means whereby steam is introduced into the retort is of great importance. Running lengthwise through and approximately centrally of each of the cars B is a perforated pipe E, carried by and extending through the ends of the car-body. These pipes E may be removable from the cars to permit the free discharge of depleted material from thc cars. Each pipe projects beyond both ends of its car. One extremity, E', of each pipe is funnel-shaped and may be lined with a packing to form a tight joint with the smaller end EZ of the pipe on the next adjacent car when the cars are positioned in the retort in the manner presently to be described. The car designed to be placed nearest the closed head of the retort has the smaller end of its pipe closed-as, for example, by a threaded cap El. This car, loaded with material to be treated, is pushed into the retort, the closed pipe end foremost, the funnel end of the pipe in the rear. A second car is pushed in, the smaller end of its pipe foremost, until said smaller end protrudes into the pipe-funnel of the first car, forming a tight joint therewith. A third car is pushed in in like manner, its pipe joining with the pipe of the second car. Cars are thus introduced into the retort un? til it is filled. The retort is of such length that the outer extremity of the pipe-funnel on the last car will be positioned near to the inner face of the retort-door D when it is closed. These pipes E thus constitute a cornplete steam-conduit extending from near the door to the extreme end of the interior of the retort, from which conduit steam can escape through the perforations in the pipes. Steam is introduced into this conduit through the pipe fm., which enters the retort a short distance from the door and runs toward said door in a direction conveniently parallel to the tracks and close to the retort-walls, so as not to interfere with the movement of the cars within the retort. Ata point contiguous to the inner face of the door this pipe m turns at an angle, forming the elbow la and extending in its new direction to the pipe-funnel on the car nearest the retort-door, into Which funnel the end of said pipe is adapted to fit snugly. When the door of the retort is closed, its inner face abuts upon the leg of the pipe m, which leads to said funnel and maintains said pipe in its proper relation with said funnel, thereby insuring a constant steam-tight joint therebetween. It is desirable that the pipe m be hinged or pivoted in some convenient manner at its elbow fn. in order that the leg of the pipe may be swung out of the way when it is necessary to move cars into or out of the TOO retort. As shown, an adjustable bolt D3 is tapped through the door to engage pipe m and insure aclose joint between it andthe adjacent pipe E.

In the loaded cars the material to be treated completely envelops the pipes E, which are centrally located in the cars, as set forth above. Hence the steam issuing from the perforations in said pipes E is brought into most intimate contact with said material and permeates every portion thereof, passing outwardly in part through the top of the car and in part through the spaces in the car sides inclosed in the wire-netting. With this arrangement the reduction of the material is thorough and rapid.

The above-described plant is intended primarily to be used in distilling turpentine from wood. In such use fat-pine wood is a desirable base. 'Ihe wood may be either ground to pulp or cut into blocks and then loaded on the cars and run into the retort. The steam connections being made, the distillation begins. The space intervening between the cars and the interior walls of the retort permits the free steam to attack the contents of the cars from without through the wire-netting'. Itis evident thatall parts of the material to be treated are completely subjected to the action of the steam. A condenser of any desired type (notshown) may be employed in conjunction with the plant, as described, connection therewith being had through the pipe a.

'Ihe particular advantages accruing from the use of this improved distilling plant arises from the continuity and thoroughness of its operation.

It is evident that the above-described devices may undergo wide variation without being removed from the proper field of this invention. For example, the general form of the car might be altered and it might be adapted to run on a two-rail track instead of a three-rail track. Also the manner of connecting the pipes on adjacent cars might be changed without avoiding the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that changes such as are exemplified above form properly a part of this invention as it is defined in the claims which follow.

I" claim as my inventionl. In a distilling plant, a retort; a series of cars for carrying material into said retort each provided with a central perforated steampipe; means for connecting the steam-pipes on adjacent cars in the retort; an adjustable steam-pipe for introducing steam to said retort adapted to be connected with the steampipe of the outermost car in the retort, and a source of steam outside said retort with which the steam-pipe connects, substantially as described.

2. A distilling plant having a retort; cars adapted to be run into said retort; a perforated pipe longitudinally disposed and centrally located in each of said cars and having its ends projecting beyond the ends of the car, the end of the pipe on one car being adapted to lit the end of a like pipe on the next'adjacent car when positioned within the retort; means for closing said retort when the cars have been introduced thereto, and means whereby steam may be introduced into said pipes of the cars within said retort from a steam-supply exterior to the retort, substantially as described.

3. In a distilling plant, a retort; a track within said retort; cars adapted to be run into said retort on said track; a perforated pipe longitudinally disposed and centrally located in each of said cars, its ends projecting` beyond the ends of said car the meeting end of such pipes on adjacent cars fitting each other when the cars are positioned within the retort; means for closing said retort when cars have been introduced therein; means whereby steam may be introduced into the pipe on the outermost car within said retort from an exterior steam-supply, substantially as described.

4. Adistilling planthaving.in combination, a retort; cars adapted to be run into said retort, a perforated pipe longitudinally disposed and centrally located in each of said cars, its ends projecting beyond the ends of said car, the ends of the pipe on one car fitting to the ends of the like pipes on the adjacent cars, so that steam may circulate directly through all such pipes in the retort; and an adjustable steam-supply pipe within the retort adapted to be connected with the pipe on the outermost car in the retort, and a steam-supply pipe on the outside of said retort connected to said adjustable pipe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MARSHALL PALMER.

In presence of- E. W YA'rns, HOXIE- G. AsKINs.

IOO 

